Commuting - Do you line up the valve with the tire logo?

I recently (October) bought new tires and changed my bike's tires and tubes for the first time. I had such a hard time doing it (and pinched a few fingers), that my original plan of lining up the tire labels and the valves went South.

Do you line 'em up? When I start commuting again in spring, I just might fix it. :)

Sure do!

Here is some Sheldon wisdom on the subject:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#labels

P.S. - Next time you install new tires try stretching them out by hand first - might make it easier ;)

Yes, always...even when fixing a flat.

I am quite picky on this.

Easiest way is to inflate the tube just enough that it takes shape...put it into the tire, with the valve lined up...then put the tire on starting at the valve area like normal. At that point it will take care of itself.

Yes. I line up the label and valve, with the label on the drive side.

I line my labels up, just because it's the "stylish" thing to do. The guys at my LBS give me hell if any part of my bike isn't up to shop standards :rolleyes: The only real advantage in lining them up that I can see, is that when you pump up your tires later, you'll find the valve more quickly. This is particularly useful on the side of the road in the rain. If you're having trouble lining up your labels when you change tires, just keep practicing.

What I do is this: put one bead on the rim first, with the correct alignment, then insert the tube, then put the second bead on. The whole process is much easier with "folding" tires, but usually with some muscle and some swearing any tire will go on just fine.

It also make finding punctures and the offending object easer to find, if the tires are always on the rims in the same position.

This is the first time i heard about it, so no i don't.
But thanks to you, this will probably be one more thing i have to obsess over now. :p

It also make finding punctures and the offending object easer to find, if the tires are always on the rims in the same position.

+1

This is the first time i heard about it, so no i don't.
But thanks to you, this will probably be one more thing i have to obsess over now. :p

Ha ha, I was wrestling with my Conti Gatorskins and found the logo didn’t align properly so I took them back off and did it again! :rolleyes:

I do it, for puncture-finding reasons. It helps!

I recently (October) bought new tires and changed my bike's tires and tubes for the first time. I had such a hard time doing it (and pinched a few fingers), that my original plan of lining up the tire labels and the valves went South.

jumpr, I have found this site to make changing tires easier.

http://www.chainreaction.com/flattirerepair.htm

jumpr, I have found this site to make changing tires easier.

http://www.chainreaction.com/flattirerepair.htm

That's a nice page, but I am surprised he starts at the valve. I have always started opposite the valve and finish at the valve.

No.

It also make finding punctures and the offending object easer to find, if the tires are always on the rims in the same position.

+2

On more than one occasion I have found glass/metal in my tire.

I think I read something about this on snopes.com.

I read somewhere that it was good form to put the label by the valve because it would make it easier to locate the correct tire pressure. My new Bontragers don't have the pressure in the label, so much for that justification. I do it because that's what most others are doing according to other posts on BF.



(And I don't want to get a ticket from the BF bike fashion police)

No. Never occured to me. Even with the reasons listed here, I doubt I ever will. But ya never know.

Of course I do! Doesn't everybody?

Of course I do! Doesn't everybody?
No. Not here in Michigan.

Yes, always. It has saved me from getting a second flat when the offending glass or wire was too small to spot in the tire (especially in the dark). Pump up the flat tube, find the leak, line the tube back up to the tire, now you know the spot where the glass or wire is, see it - pull it out and no second flat.

That's a nice page, but I am surprised he starts at the valve. I have always started opposite the valve and finish at the valve.

I always start at the valve. It makes it much more likely that you will end up with the valve stem pointed toward the hub. Less of an issue with presta valves where the valve stem nut can straighten the valve out.

Formerly, I always matched label and stem, but recently I have changed slightly. I don't know whether it is me or the tires I've been using, but I sometimes have a damnable time finding the maximum pressure recommendation. (Seems to me it was once more often found on the tire label rather than on the black part of the tire.) Now I pair the stem and the max pressure recommendation.

I don't but I suppose it's not a bad idea so if I remember next time, I will.

I remove or cover all labels, I find it offensive to have advertising on everything. When they own it they can have labels, once I buy it from them, its mine and the only label I want to see is my name.

I remove or cover all labels, I find it offensive to have advertising on everything. When they own it they can have labels, once I buy it from them, its mine and the only label I want to see is my name.
I hope your name is Gary Fisher! :D

I agree with Oboeguy on this. If it is easy to line up valve and label maybe I will. Since the tire does not slide around much on the rim I've just been lining the valve up with the valve hole. Works for me.

No
Never Have
Never Will

I have always lined up my labels with the valvestem. I originally did it during my XC racing days because it made finding the puncture and the FOD much quicker and easier which can make a difference between retaining and losing your position. I didn't really get that many flats when commuting but I'm sure it can mean the difference between getting to work on time and not... assuming you're diligent about "cleaning out the wound" when changing out a tube puncture. Getting a second flat from leftover/overlooked FOD sucks.

For real points (yes, I did this). When you lace the rims line up the valve to the logo on the hub like this. then line the label up to the valve stem.

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/jlaustin2/web/SRAM%20FOO/Sram%20Foo_files/IMG_0212.jpg

I recently (October) bought new tires and changed my bike's tires and tubes for the first time. I had such a hard time doing it (and pinched a few fingers), that my original plan of lining up the tire labels and the valves went South.

Do you line 'em up? When I start commuting again in spring, I just might fix it. :)


Yep Always line 'em up!

And use Talc Powder (baby powder) when replacing a tube. Might help to line up. But the powder helps the tube move a little and never tighten the nut on the valve stem (if you use one).

I always find a mark on my tires to match with the tube stem,not only does it sort of help to find flats with nothing lodged in the tire but it shows my attention to detail of my workmanship for my own satisfaction :)

Yes, plus I invented one additional anal trick. After pulling the tube/tire off to find the little leak I often discover I have lost track of which way the tube was on the rim rendering the lable to valve step/effort a waste of time except for those wanting tidy craftsmanship.

Solution, got a file out and filed a flat on the label side of the valve cover thread since I don't ever run valve covers on my presta valves. Flat (no pun intended) and label on right at valve. That gets me all indexed so I can figure out what is causing me problems. Now if someone submits this original idea to some magazine and gets free stuff I'll be....asking for the free stuff :p For a newbie I thought it a good idea but after 3 flats on your wife's new second hand bike it becomes the "...mother of invention!"

jeeze, talk about anal...

in 30 years of riding it never occured to me to line up the label with anything...

So never have, and never will.

I put the tire p.s.i. by the valve. The logo is just marketing stuff but the p.s.i. is useful when you are actally using the valve and it serves the same purpose for finding glass, thorns, etc.

Absolutely never.

I sometimes have a damnable time finding the maximum pressure recommendation. (Seems to me it was once more often found on the tire label rather than on the black part of the tire.) Now I pair the stem and the max pressure recommendation.

Yep I agree. I always line up the valve with the tire pressure info.

That's a nice page, but I am surprised he starts at the valve. I have always started opposite the valve and finish at the valve.

I never paid attention to the label. Finding flats were never the problem. Using the tube for guidance, there are two places to look max. If I were a pro, I would probably do it as proof of attention to detail. For myself, I know what I've done and have nothing to prove.

But starting putting the tire on at the valve, of course. It's the hardest part to fit and the place that you need to locate most accurately. Do that and having a valve stem tilting is a rare occurance.

I don't have enough flats to worry about it. But I do line up the labels with the valve stem. I do it for the same reason I have to have the quick-release levers in exactly the same place every time I put the wheels on, the tape has to be exactly the same on both sides of the handlebar and my chain has to be bright shiney silver. I'm anal.

SS

I don't have enough flats to worry about it. But I do line up the labels with the valve stem. I do it for the same reason I have to have the quick-release levers in exactly the same place every time I put the wheels on, the tape has to be exactly the same on both sides of the handlebar and my chain has to be bright shiney silver. I'm anal.

I can accept that since I'm the same way.

I do this. If it's good enough for Sheldon, it's good enough for me.

jeeze, talk about anal...

in 30 years of riding it never occured to me to line up the label with anything...

So never have, and never will.


In 50 years I never heard of anyone giving a poo about such "detail." Just goes to show what I've been missing by not paying attention.

And I bet Department Store assemblers never have paid attention either. Just one more reason to buy from LBS's, eh?

I put the tire p.s.i. by the valve. The logo is just marketing stuff but the p.s.i. is useful when you are actally using the valve and it serves the same purpose for finding glass, thorns, etc.

Actually, the marked pressure rating on bicycle tires is useless, and should generally be ignored. I explain why at: http://sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#pressure

Sheldon "Neither A Lawyer Nor A Marketeer" Brown
+------------------------------------------+
| The lower your gear, the more of your |
| riding time will be spent going uphill. |
+------------------------------------------+

...I pair the stem and the max pressure recommendation.
I've been changing my own tires/tubes since I was a young kid and I've always done that, just for convenience. Although I use the "pinch" method to gauge inflation, rather than an actual gauge. Glad to know I'm not the only one that lines 'em up that way, and that I'm not the only one who just uses "the force" to decide how much air to put in. ;)

Sheldon:

You say about tire pressure:"The table below is based on my experience and a certain amount of guesswork, and should only be used as a very rough guide to a starting point. Interpolate/extrapolate for your own weight/tire sizes."

Why wouldn't I use the manufacturer's max psi as a starting place?

Makes sense to me, I do it.

Aligning lable/valve used to not concern me, but after a friend pointed it out to me I notice it all the time now. It's not critical, but it shows attention to details and serves as a proxy measure for good maintenance and care of the machine.

Aligning lable/valve used to not concern me, but after a friend pointed it out to me I notice it all the time now. It's not critical, but it shows attention to details and serves as a proxy measure for good maintenance and care of the machine.
Just like counting/noticing every crack on the sidewalk, or telephone pole along the highway shows "attention to detail".

Always do it for all the reasons already stated.

Just like counting/noticing every crack on the sidewalk, or telephone pole along the highway shows "attention to detail".

Exactly.

These things are related to the reasons why my grandfather spent hours cleaning his various engines, then spent more hours cleaning and reorganizing his tool bench when he was done. And the reasons why my dad (who builds custom fishing rods) will finish a project, and then strip and completely redo a rod that gets even a tiny imperfection in the finish. I guess it runs in the family.

I don't, for the same reason I don't always put the milk in the same spot in the refrigerator, organize my cd's alpahbetically or clean my commuter after every ride in the rain or snow. It's an extra hassle that pays a very low dividend. Heck, I don't even bother paying attention to which SIDE the label is on!

If I were a bike mechanic, I might do it as a point of finesse if customers were the type to appreciate it, but that's really form over function. The flat thing is kind of a stretch -- I find shards and debris by running my bare hands on the inside of the tire before inserting a new tube. Never had a double flat.

When I see it, it doesn't say anything to me except OCP. A clean and well-lubed chain is a much better indicator of a well-maintained machine. The label thing is truly form over function.

Heck, I don't even bother paying attention to which SIDE the label is on!
When did tire makers/marketeers start putting labels on bicycle tires? I never noticed them.